Be prepared for undergrad study
“THE most important takeaway from my experience in the Foundation in Arts (FIA) programme was the lifestyle, not the academics. I believe that the programme helped prepare me for my degree, especially when it came to learning time management skills,” says Jared Chong Tze Meng, former FIA student at Sunway College.
According to Chong, the best part of the FIA experience was the opportunity to meet people from different states and cultural backgrounds. He also shares that he found the workload challenging.
“One day you’re free and the next, you have multiple assignments to complete. It was a challenge to learn how to balance my workload and allocate time appropriately,” he says.
As president of the Sunway Foundation Programme, Chong shares that the role greatly benefited his holistic growth.
“It challenged me to better manage my time between studies, extracurricular responsibilities and social life beyond the programme. Furthermore, it sharpened my leadership skills in connecting with people and building teamwork. These are life skills that are applicable not only in the present but my future as well, especially in work,” he says.
His advice to FIA students is, “Consistency is important, especially since the programme structure features numerous assignments and tests. Being consistent can help alleviate procrastination and stress.
“Another important skill is time management. The most essential thing while studying the FIA is to manage your time wisely so that you can achieve a balance between activities.
“Lastly, it is important to have a resilient and curious attitude. Always go beyond the status quo and ask the lecturers what you can do to improve.
“Furthermore, if you hit a rough patch, keep going. I believe that resilience can bring you far. As Winston Churchill once said, ‘Success is going from failure to failure without losing enthusiasm.’
“I believe that as students, we should look beyond academics. Yes, academic performance is important, but it is not everything. The FIA is the perfect platform for you to discover yourself.
“Meet new people, try new things, share stories with your lecturers
(they can be amazing friends) and of course, enjoy yourself. Trust me, you will come out of this programme smarter and with experience and memories.”
When asked whether he would recommend the FIA programme to school-leavers, Chong exclaims,
“Of course! The FIA programme has so much to offer.
Beyond the academic structure of the programme, the FIA lifestyle plays a key role in one’s holistic developmental growth. The humility of the lecturers and their willingness
I believe that as students, we should look beyond academics. Yes, academic performance is important, but it is not everything. The FIA is the perfect platform for you to discover yourself. Meet new people, try new things, share stories with your lecturers (they can be amazing friends) and of course, enjoy yourself. Trust me, you will come out of this programme smarter and with experience and memories. Jared Chong Tze Meng
to lend a helping hand never cease to amaze me.”
The former student of St Paul’s Institution, Negri Sembilan, was a recipient of the Jeffrey Cheah Entrance Scholarship for his studies at Sunway College. He went on to receive the Jeffrey Cheah Continuing Scholarship and is enrolled in the BSc (Hons) Accounting and Finance at Sunway University.
“I chose the BSc (Hons) Accounting Finance for two reasons. First, I enjoyed accounting in secondary school and FIA. Second, I believe this programme will provide me with a wide range of options and skill sets for the corporate world.”
“The BSc (Hons) Accounting and Finance is a different ball game from FIA. Assignments and tests are much tougher and the studying lifestyle is slightly different as it requires a lot of self-initiative. “Furthermore, the intensity of the syllabus is on an entirely new level compared to the FIA programme. However, I enjoy the challenge and it only drives me to be better. I can confidently say that I am happy with where I am and what I am studying.” The FIA is one of two foundation programmes offered at Sunway College. The FIA and Foundation in Science and Technology are Sunway College’s homegrown programmes and direct pathways to undergraduate courses at Sunway University. Sunway College’s foundation programmes emphasise the importance of holistic development in numerical and communication skills through structured subjects in mathematics and English. Students also take specialist electives such as Information Technology, Accounting and enrichment electives such as Culture and Ideas and Critical Thinking Skills that offer them exposure to multidisciplinary thinking and analysis.